In disk players of these types, a video signal is read from a disk and then displayed on a monitor, whereas a digital audio signal read from the disk is subjected to D/A (digital-to-analog) conversion for outputting an analog audio signal. Further, data such as time, chapter and TNO which are recorded on the disk, are decoded so that they can be superimposed as character displays on the monitor.
On the other hand, the CD format has a sub-code data region. If digital picture graphs or sentences of character data are recorded in the sub-code data region, then they can be decoded so as to be displayed on the monitor.
Thus, in playing a compact disk with a disk player capable of playing LDs, CDs and CDVs or with a disk player capable of playing CDs and CDVs, characters such as time data can be displayed on the monitor in the system, or still pictures of image data previously stored in memory can be displayed on the monitor. Furthermore, in the case where sub-codes have been recorded on the compact disk, then digital graphs or characters of the sub-codes can be displayed.
However, in an audio reproduction with a compact disk having no sub-codes, nothing can be displayed on the monitor, or a meaningless still picture can be displayed; that is, it cannot be said that the disk player is sufficiently utilized.